The 29 of the suspects who were picked up for their alleged involvement in the violence that characterized the Arise Ghana demonstration on Tuesday, June 28, 2022 have been granted police enquiry bail.
Out of the total number, 26 of them who have met the bail conditions have been released.
However, the remaining three were still in police custody as they were to complete the process of satisfying the bail conditions for their release.
Police in a statement sighted by DGN Online explained the delay in their prosecution but said they will be arraigned on Monday July 4, 2022 to face full rigors of the law.
“The Martyr’s day celebrations today, made it difficult for the suspects to be arraigned before the court. Therefore, in line with the constitutional provision of not keeping suspects beyond 48 hours, they were granted bail and will be arraigned on Monday, 4th July, 2022.”
The police have expressed their commitments to ensuring that all other perpetrators are arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the laws of the country.
The suspects were held at various police stations within the region.
In an earlier statement issued by Chief Superintendent Grace Ansah-Akrofi, Director, Public Affairs of the Ghana Police Service stated that the rioters were arrested for their attack on police and some members of the public including school children.
The demonstration turned bloody after the organisers and the police disagreed over the routes to use.
Police had to fire teargas into the crowd after some protesters decided to push the police who had built a barricade to stop them from taking unapproved routes by moving from the Kwame Nkrumah Circle towards the Ring Road Central leading to the Jubilee House as all attempts by the police to persuade them to use the court approved routes did not yield the expected result.
The altercation happened after organisers met with top officials of the police service to discuss the way forward following an obstruction when protesters tried moving from Obra Spot.
Police officers on the ground had suggested that organisers stick to the court’s assigned route for the demonstration, that is from Obra Spot through the Independence Square.
But the organisers of the who did not agree to this insisted that they will use the Ring Road Central area through Ako Adjei Interchange to the Jubilee House.
After the meeting with the police, the organisers returned to address the crowd about the situation but during this period, aggrieved protesters went against the police and tried pushing back the barricade.
Consequently, the police fired teargas to disperse the crowd who at a point was not only pushing against the police but attacking the police by pelting them with stones and objects, resulting in the injury of some officers who were on the ground to provide protection.
Earlier statement issued by the police said 12 of their personnel got injured as a result of the incident.
The demonstrators also damaged police properties including their vehicles in the process as they further regrouped and burnt lorry tyres on the road around cycles but police managed to put all the fire off.
By Vincent Kubi